Welcome to
this edition of
his month, I step away from St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center to retire and enjoy the next
chapter of my life with my family. It has truly
been a privilege to serve with the St. Mary-Corwin
team at a time when the health care industry is facing
unprecedented challenges. I have been inspired on a
daily basis by this community and the dedication of
our associates, physicians, and volunteers.
I want to say how blessed I have been to work
with the leadership team at St. Mary-Corwin. Our
physician leaders, directors and managers, and
administrative team have all played significant roles in
creating the progress and achievement that
the hospital has experienced over the last
several years. This team will remain intact,
and will continue to live out the mission of
St. Mary-Corwin by serving our associates,
physicians, and volunteers so they, in turn,
can serve those of you in our community
who entrust your health to this hospital. I
am confident that this team will live into the
possibilities that now exist, and move our
ministry forward as never before.
St. Mary-Corwin welcomes its new
CEO, Brian Moore. I have worked with Brian for
many years in the Centura Health network. He is a
compassionate, caring leader who brings extensive
experience and knowledge to this team. Brian and his
family have moved to Pueblo
and will be great additions to
the St. Mary-Corwin family and
to the community.
I will close by simply saying
thank you. Thank you for your
support of this great hospital,
thank you for teaching me about
commitment to community, and
thank you for allowing me to be
part of the St. Mary-Corwin legacy.
Cheers to your health,

On July 15, Rob Ryder handed over the leadership of St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center to
new CEO and president, Brian Moore.
Moore brings 14 years of diversified hospital leadership experience to St. Mary-Corwin,
including 12 years within the Centura Health system. Moore was instrumental in opening
Parker Adventist Hospital in 2004 and played a key role in the hospital’s tremendous growth
and expansion, eventually serving as the facility’s vice president of operations for five years.
He is excited to bring this experience to Pueblo.
“I hope to be a good steward of the long legacy of faith-based health care that St. MaryCorwin has enjoyed for more than 130 years,” Moore says. “The organization currently has
positive momentum that’s being recognized throughout the community. I look forward to
working with the board and hospital leadership team to manage this transition in a way that
continues to add to that momentum.”
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Brian joined Centura after receiving his Master of Business
Administration (MBA) from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where he is a
graduate of the Adventist Health System management residency program. During his
residency, he rotated through all areas of hospital services, including surgery, emergency
services, patient transport, and patient financial services.
Brian and his wife, Lindsay, have two daughters. The family has moved to Pueblo and
looks forward to becoming a part of the community.
“My wife and I took time to spend several days in Pueblo just driving around to get
a picture of the community and to soak up the culture,” Moore says. “What we found
was a group of people incredibly proud of their town. We also found a lot of things in the
community that we think will make this a great place to live as well as work.”

Rob Ryder
President & CEO

2

Cheers | St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center

1008 Minnequa Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004
719-557-4000

St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center brings specialized care in the complex
areas of cancer care, robotic surgery, joint replacement surgery, sports
medicine, pediatrics, women’s services, cardiology, and more. We are part
of Centura Health, the state’s largest health care network. The purpose
of this publication is to support our mission to improve the health of the
residents in our community. No information in this publication is meant as
a recommendation or as a substitution for your physician’s advice. If you
would like to comment on this magazine, please email cheers@centura.org.
Cheers is produced by Clementine Words LLC of Denver, Colo. Executive
editor is Rochelle Kelly Wristen.

NEW

RESEARCH

Walking

Tall

Kathy West is back playing with her
grandchildren after recently having
both knees replaced at St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center.

Photo by STEVE BIGLEY

Thanks to knee replacement surgery,
Kathy West is back on her feet again

W

hen Kathy West tore the meniscus (a disc that cushions
the joint) in her left knee, she had arthroscopic surgery first.
Then, when it was re-torn, she had injections for the pain.
But each time the treatments helped less, until it reached the point
that the 66-year-old could stand for only a few minutes at a time, and
had difficulty walking.
“We have grandchildren that we take care of, and I didn’t want to
not be able to get around,” she says. “So I finally decided it was time
to do something that was really going to make it better.”

Waiting can make replacement harder

While many people put off joint replacement, postponement could
make the eventual surgery more complicated, and potentially limit your
range of motion afterward, says Shawn Nakamura, MD, an orthopedic
surgeon at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center.
“The biggest predictor of post-op
range of motion is your pre-op range of
Did you know
motion. If you have a severe deformity
that more than
or contractures (shortening of a muscle
90 percent of total
or joint), that’s going to affect the final
outcome of your replacement, and you
knee replacements
should probably get your replacement
result in substantially
before those things become severe,” he
decreased pain
says.
and improved daily
And age is no longer a primary
functioning?
consideration for joint replacement.
Source: American Academy of
“We used to make people wait much
Orthopaedic Surgeons
longer because we wanted their knee
to outlast them,” Nakamura says. “But
now we do it much sooner if need be, because we’ve gotten so much
better at doing the revision.”

On the move again

By the time West had her procedure last October, her X-rays showed
that the cartilage in both knees was worn away, leaving bone rubbing
against bone. So she opted for a bilateral replacement — both knees

Can you prevent
knee replacement?
You may have heard the buzz about
hyaluronic acid injections to help
you sidestep knee replacement.
Unfortunately, no magic injection
can prevent the need for joint
replacement, says Shawn Nakamura,
MD, medical director of orthopedics
for St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center.
“These injections cannot prevent
replacement, deformity, and
contractures.
The only thing you can do to
completely prevent getting a joint
replacement is to pick the right
parents,” he says.
But there are things you can do to
help protect your joints, like avoiding
injury (damage can lead to joint
deterioration), keeping your weight
under control, and maintaining a
regular exercise program throughout
your life.
“Research has shown that
exercise does not make arthritis
worse; it makes it better,” Nakamura
says. “Light weights, biking,
swimming, walking — those are all
good for your knees.”

at once. And though rehab was challenging,
today she’s getting back to her old self.
“It’s just so nice,” she says. “I can walk and
climb stairs, care for the children, and work with our
livestock again — things I couldn’t do before.”
West also works out three times a week at
Curves and enjoys Zumba classes. She has
regained full range of motion in her right knee,
but her left — the one with the torn meniscus —
is still improving.
“It’s coming along a little slower, but it’s getting
there every day, every week,” she says.

 LEarn HOW to preserve

your knees and when it might be
time for replacement at a joint
replacement seminar. Plus, enter
to win a $100 Sports Authority gift
certificate at the event. 
Date: Oct. 14
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Dorcy Cancer Center
RSVP: 719-557-5622 or online
at stmarycorwin.org/calendar

stmarycorwin.org | Cheers

3

P L AY I N G

SAFE

Use Your Head
Concussions are serious business

L

ast summer, Shannon Patterson, a Pueblo South junior playing guard, got
tangled up with another girl wrestling for the basketball. Expecting the whistle,
Patterson stopped. The other player didn’t, and the next thing 17-year-old
Patterson remembers is her dad and coach standing over her.
They recognized the signs of a concussion and took her to the
nearest hospital. Patterson’s story is not uncommon. A 2008 study found
that five concussions occur for every 10,000 high school athletes who play in
the U.S. Where Patterson’s story differs from many is that her parents and her
physician took the injury seriously and made sure to take steps to prevent longterm physical, emotional, and cognitive damage.

Signs of Concussion

Knowing the signs are important, says Rocky Khosla, MD, a family physician with a special
certification in sports medicine. “Loss of consciousness only happens in 5 to 10 percent of
athletes suffering concussion,” he says.
Other signs include:
• Balance problems • Slow to get up
• A dazed or vacant look
• Clutching of head
• Nausea
• Confusion/lack of awareness
Parents (particularly those who have kids playing contact sports) should know these signs.
But it’s important for coaches to know these as well, as they are the ones often pushing the child
to get back in the game. Any athlete who has had a concussion should be seen by a trainer or
doctor and should not return to play — even if the child says he or she is fine.

Playing it s
after two
concussio
Shannon Patt
a South gu
avoided long
injury.

Why It Matters

4

Cheers | St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center

For after-hours
and weekend sports
injuries, call the
St. Mary-Corwin Sports
Injury Hotline at
719-562-6234.

Photo by STEVE BIGLEY

Recognizing a concussion and making sure the athlete has adequate physical and cognitive rest
(often about six to 10 days) before returning to play is critical, Khosla says, because the risk of
a second concussion increases. And if the signs of the first concussion haven’t resolved before
the second one, there’s a risk of second impact syndrome — a rapid and fatal
swelling of the brain.
We’re on your
“We understand that if you get a concussion and if you haven’t cleared
side(lines)
completely,” Khosla says, “there’s a metabolic cascade that happens that can lead
You can rest a little easier
to death.”
knowing that St. MaryJake Snakenberg, a freshman football player at Grandview High School,
died of second impact syndrome in 2004. The Jake Snakenberg Youth Sports
Corwin’s primary care
Concussion Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2012, requires that coaches be
physicians and orthopedic
trained on recognizing concussions and that any player who is suspected of
surgeons are on the
having had a concussion must be removed from play.
sidelines of the county’s
To return to the sport, a medical professional must clear the athlete. Then,
high school varsity football
a gradual return to play should be used — starting with very little activity and
games as well as CSUbuilding to more intense workouts. If addition of activity increases any symptoms
Pueblo football games.
such as headaches, loss of balance, or sensitivity to sound or light, the athlete
It’s a FREE service to the
should be reevaluated by a medical provider.
schools, provided by
For Patterson, her basketball concussion last summer was followed several
St. Mary-Corwin.
months later by a freak accident on the soccer field. Patterson, the team’s goalie, was
hit in the back of the head when a huge wind gust took out the movable goalpost.
“I sat out for three or four weeks until Dr. Khosla cleared me,” she says. “One of
the key things he was waiting for was for my headaches to go away. He wanted to make sure I
didn’t still have a concussion while playing.”

And it’s not just the immediate concerns about
second impact syndrome that athletes, parents, and
coaches need to worry about, Khosla says.
There may be long-term effects of multiple
concussions, such as cognitive difficulties or mood
disorders.

Having ImPACT

Particularly for student athletes who compete in sports
where concussion risk is high, it’s wise to have an
Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive
Testing (ImPACT™) test before the season begins.
Then, if he or she has a concussion, the results of a
follow-up test can be compared with the baseline.
“If the child is back to baseline, is having no
symptoms, and has a normal physical examination, he
or she can return to play,” says Khosla, a credentialed
ImPACT consultant. “Without ImPACT data, there’s not
a lot of hard, objective information.”
Over the past two years, Khosla and his team have
administered close to 3,800 baseline tests to student
athletes in the Pueblo and surrounding areas. He and
his team have implemented concussion management
safe
protocols incorporating the ImPACT system in over 30
o
schools going as far south as Trinidad and as far east as
ons,
La Junta. The benefit, he says, is that in many cases,
terson,
results of the ImPACT test have improved the way
uard,
medical providers have managed an athlete’s care.
Patterson, No. 34 on the court, says she plans
g-term
to play a little smarter to avoid future
concussions. And, Khosla says,
parents and coaches need to be
For more
smart — even overprotective —
information and
when it comes to concussions.
concussion-related
“I’d rather be wrong sometimes
resources, please go
and overdiagnose it than miss
to concussion
anyone,” he says. “It’s too
consultants.org.
important.”

to prevent sports injuries at a FREE
sports specialists clinic. This half-day
seminar is open to coaches, athletic
trainers, and athletic directors. Coaches
can earn their Jake Snakenberg
certificate through this program. 

Sports
Education
What you need to know to make sure
your kids are ready for the new season

W

hen you hear about Peyton Manning training in preseason,
you don’t think much about it. Of course, professional
athletes train. Well, young athletes need to take precautions,
too. Before starting competitive play, kids and teenagers need to
make sure they’re ready.
Athletic injuries among young people are a huge problem, says
Jennifer FitzPatrick, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center.
“It’s an epidemic,” she says, noting that sports medicine experts
are focused on preventing these injuries because there’s more at
stake for young athletes than just missing a few games. “Most of
these injuries — people carry through their lives.”
She offers these tips for making sure your student athletes
are ready.

1 Have the proper equipment.
Without the right protective gear for your sport, injuries can
easily happen, FitzPatrick says. That means things like rightsized helmets, pads, and shin guards, as well as the right shoes
for your activity, she adds.

2 Train in the off-season.
Taking a break — especially from a contact sport — is fine, but
becoming a couch potato in the off-season can lead to injury later.
“One of the best things you can do to prevent injury,” FitzPatrick
says, “is being in good physical shape before the season starts.”
When deciding when and how much to push to the next level,
remember the 10 percent rule: Do not increase training activity,
weight, mileage, or pace by more than 10 percent per week. This
allows the body ample time to recover.

3 Focus on injury prevention.
Some formal programs focus on preventing injuries — particularly
aiming to protect the ACL (a commonly torn ligament in the knee).
By using a dynamic warm-up (one that involves movement),
strengthening the right muscles through jump training, and
teaching kids proper technique, injuries can be prevented.

FREE
PHYSICALS
To ensure your kids
are healthy before they
compete, Southern
Colorado Family Medicine
(SCFM) is hosting their
annual free sports
physicals day for Pueblo
City Schools and District
70 student athletes.
The sports physicals are
available on Friday,
July 26, 1-7 p.m.,
at the SCFM clinic at
902 Lakeview Ave., just
north of the hospital.
Student athletes in the
sixth grade and up to
seniors in high school are
eligible. Sports physicals
are good for one year, so
athletes who compete
anytime during the school
year will be covered.

4 Rehab old injuries.
If your child does get injured, make sure he or she fully recovers before
going back on the court or field. “The biggest risk factor for an injury is a
previous injury that was not fully rehabbed,” FitzPatrick says.
stmarycorwin.org | Cheers

5

YOUR

H E A LT H

Driving On

One man battled stage III rectal cancer
and won. Now he’s dedicated to
helping others on their journey.

E

d Darchuk has been afraid of doctors ever since he was diagnosed with polio in early
childhood. So when he began having rectal problems, the 68-year-old wasn’t in a hurry to
see a physician.
“For two years, I self-diagnosed, and I was really just in denial,” he says. But the former appliance
salesman had a favorite customer whose husband was a doctor, and one day he opened up to her
about his symptoms.
She secured an appointment for him immediately. After multiple tests, he was diagnosed with stage
III rectal cancer in May 2011.

Photo by STEVE BIGLEY

Ed Darchuk pays it forward
after surviving rectal
cancer by volunteering at
the Dorcy Cancer Center.

Shared risk and symptoms

Colon and rectal cancers have common
risk factors, says Joseph Edelson, MD,
a gastroenterologist at St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center.
“Being older — over age 50 — or AfricanAmerican puts you at greater risk,” he says.
“And a low-fiber, high-fat diet is also thought
to be associated, as is heavy alcohol use,
and being obese, sedentary, or smoking.”
Both cancers typically share common
symptoms, too, Edelson says, including
a change in bowel habits, rectal bleeding,
persistent abdominal pain, and unexplained
weight loss or fatigue.

Treatment for today —
and tomorrow
In July 2011, Darchuk began treatment with Geoffrey Johnson, MD, an oncologist at the Dorcy Cancer
Center at St. Mary-Corwin. A port was surgically implanted in his chest to administer chemotherapy
drugs, and he also underwent six weeks of radiation.
But with screening through colonoscopy, many people can avoid cancer and treatment altogether.
That’s because colonoscopy can catch precursors of the disease.
“Most often colon and rectal cancers start as small lumps of cells (or polyps),” which can be
removed during a colonoscopy, Edelson says. “And we have about 10 to 15 years lead time before
they become cancerous.”

Paying it forward

Darchuk’s disease has been in remission since January 2012, and he has since dedicated himself to
supporting cancer causes and helping others. In fact, he regularly drives patients to treatment at the
Dorcy Cancer Center.
“When I go in there, it’s almost like going home,” Darchuk says. “At least a couple of those
technicians were with me every day, and I feel very blessed to be sitting here today.”

Lynch syndrome:
What are the odds?
Lynch syndrome is an inherited
predisposition to colorectal and other
gastrointestinal cancers, as well as
endometrial and ovarian cancer.
Lynch syndrome puts a person
at a 50 to 80 percent chance
of developing colon cancer. In
comparison, the average person with
no risk factors has about a 5 percent
chance.
At the Dorcy Cancer Center at
St. Mary-Corwin, colorectal cancer
patients are automatically screened
for Lynch syndrome, which causes
three in every 100 cases of colon
cancer.
But other close family members —
parents, siblings, and children, as
well as aunts, uncles, nieces, and
nephews — also should consider
screening, especially if their relative is
affected at an early age or has more
than one cancer, says Kate Crow,
MS, CGC, a genetic counselor at St.
Mary-Corwin.
“It’s always ideal to know what’s
going on with the affected family
member first, if possible,” Crow says.
“But if someone is worried about their
family history, they can contact us for
a family history analysis (also known
as genetic counseling), and we can
discuss the likelihood that something
inherited may be in their family.”


JOIN US for Saturday Colonoscopies! If you can’t take off work to get your colonoscopy,

ach year St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center associates participate in what is one
of the largest employee giving programs in Pueblo — Project Care. Project
Care is one big way we, as the community of St. Mary-Corwin, give back. This
fund helps support:
F
ellow St. Mary-Corwin associates in need
P
atients who need financial assistance
S
pecial projects within the hospital
T
he United Way of Pueblo County
This year our associates set a new
record, raising $185,000! Why do we,
as the community of St. Mary-Corwin,
commit each year to helping our patients,
our fellow associates, special projects in the
hospital, and the community at large?
If you ask each donor to Project Care, I
suspect you would receive a different answer
from each. Philanthropy, the act of giving back, is a
uniquely personal response of compassion to the needs
of our community. But there is also a collective answer,
rooted in the culture of St. Mary-Corwin. This tradition reaches
back in time to the first stories of the nuns who traveled from
Cincinnati to Pueblo to establish a hospital for the poor because the need was
so great. The tradition reaches back to Dr. Richard Corwin, who was recruited to
come to Pueblo to establish a hospital for the steelworkers and miners who were
the backbone of this great community.
St. Mary-Corwin is a community of people who care
for each other, for those who are ill, for those who are
in need, and for those who need a helping hand to lead
them out of darkness.
And today, one of many ways that commitment is
realized is through Project Care. Project Care is simple
and powerful. It is one of many ways we make a
difference in our community.
Jayne Mazur
President
St. Mary-Corwin Health Foundation


MAKE AN IMpACT. You don’t have to be an

associate of St. Mary-Corwin to support the foundation
or any one of these great causes. The Pueblo
community generously supports St. Mary-Corwin
Health Foundation. To make a donation, please
contact Jayne Mazur at 719-557-5298 or
jaynemazur@centura.org. 

T hes e Hand s

Hannah’s
Neighborhood
By Pam Keller, RN
As I arrived for my shift on that crisp October
morning, I prayed, “God give me the strength for this day.” I
knew it would be a rough day. Hannah would be struggling
for every breath, her small body limp with exhaustion, her
giant heart still pulling us to her.
When Hannah was just 6 weeks old, she was diagnosed
with Werdnig-Hoffman disease, a type of spinal muscle
atrophy with life expectancy that is often measured in
months when it appears in such young infants. Hannah
and her mom, Diane, had spent so much of Hannah’s
life at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center that her patient
room became her home, and the hospital became her
neighborhood. To see a tiny baby with a disease so awful
and a struggle so heroic opens people’s hearts. As months
rolled by, the entire hospital adopted Hannah.
Although Hannah did not like being awakened for
X-rays, lab techs managed to make it a game she
delighted in playing. She’d leave for a procedure only to
come back to find that housekeeping made her room
sparkle. Respiratory therapy fought to keep Hannah
breathing. Pharmacy dashed emergency medications to
her. And Hannah giggled each time the dietary department
sent up a surprise snack of french fries and ketchup — her
favorite. Prayers sped toward Hannah on a spiritual care
expressway.
Suddenly, four and a half years later, we were without
Hannah. It was as though the entire hospital felt the exit of
her spirit. The whole place seemed to go still and people
just found themselves wandering toward “Hannah’s
bedroom.”
The loss was profound, but what keeps me going is that
over the past 20 years, I can think of many patients and
families who were adopted by the hospital just like Hannah
was. This is an astonishingly big-hearted community.
These Hands: Stories of Love and Compassion is a book of stories
written by Centura Health associates. This story has been edited for
space purposes.

ILLUSTRATION: HANDS by SUE LION

from the heart

stmarycorwin.org | Cheers

7

SUMMER EVENTS

In the Community

St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center
sponsors Colorado State Fair

B

efore Colorado became a state, people from
throughout the region flocked to Pueblo to admire
the horses at the Colorado State Fair.
Soon after, in 1882, St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center
opened its doors.
These two historic institutions are joining together to
make the 141st annual fair a memorable one, offering up
fun and healthy ways to
spend a summer day.
“It really is a
partnership that has
been around for many,
many years,” says
Rochelle Kelly Wristen,
spokeswoman for the hospital. “We are proud to be a
part of the Pueblo community, and proud that we can be
a part of events like this.”

As a fair sponsor, St. Mary-Corwin is bringing the
MEGA Brain to the party on Aug. 31. When you need
a break from roller coasters and cotton candy, be sure
to explore the giant, inflatable brain. You’ll get an inside
view of how the brain controls the body, and what it
looks like when someone has a stroke. Then you’ll take
a quick online test to learn if you’re at risk of a stroke,
be able to speak with stroke victims, and learn tips for
stroke prevention.
“The reason this is so important in our area is we
have high rates of obesity and high rates of diabetes,
twice the national average,” Wristen says. Obesity and
diabetes are two major risk factors for stroke.
The Colorado State Fair will be held Aug. 23 through
Sept. 2. In addition to the MEGA Brain, St. Mary-Corwin
will host the First Aid Station to care for any medical
concerns such as bug bites, heat exhaustion, and more.


VISIT the MEGA Brain

at the Colorado State Fair
on Aug. 31 to go inside
the brain and watch what
happens when a stroke
occurs. Admission to the
MEGA Brain is FREE with
your fair ticket. 

Think Pink
Thu, Oct 3 | 4-8 p.m.
Pueblo Convention Center
The Think Pink Party for Breast
Health Awareness is the
hottest shopping and social
party in Pueblo, where ladies
can ultrapamper themselves
with the utmost in superfab
finds in beauty, health, and
fashion! Proceeds benefit the
St. Mary-Corwin Breast Center
of Excellence.
Call 719-557-5249 for tickets.
Cost: $4